Blogs Future

Since starting this blog, it has been my desire to provide the best information I can as I learn (or hear about it), while at the same time being open and honest about my own debts. That means that I want to be a serious member of the new media and things were going pretty well the first couple of years. I was in the top 100 most read personal finance blogs. The biggest problem was and still is that this blog is run as a hobby, since I do not earn enough income to make a living with it.

That means that I have to work a full time job. Which in turn makes it hard to make my daily posts to the blog. I still have a book laying here behind me that I am suppose to be reviewing on the blog, but haven't had the time to even read the book so I can review it. How can I be taken seriously, if I can't keep up? On the other hand, how can I focus on the blog and give it the attention that it needs, if I can't make a living at it?

Don't take this as a sign that I am shuttering the blog. I have no intention of doing that. I will continue to post, hopefully more often. However, I have to find that balance between maintaining the blog regularly and keeping the focus I need on my family and full-time job. In time perhaps, the blog can return to the greatness that it once was. I would love to get more interviews, like I did earlier this year, when I interviewed Cody Willard, Rebecca Diamond, and Eric Boiling. Which by the way was the highlight of my three years of doing this blog. My biggest dream interview would be Warren Buffett. Of course, that's not my biggest dream for the blog. That would be when I can finally report that my fiance and I are both 100% debt-free.
Through it all, I hope that you keep reading and especially commenting. I love reading your comments, even those that takes me to tasks. Comments the I agree and disagree with are appreciated.
Thanks


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Thanksgiving - What Are You Thankful For

Today, in the good ole USA, is Thanksgiving Day. The one day of the year we officially stop and give thanks for everything that we have. Of course, we should do that every day, but the day was set aside former President Abraham Lincoln, as the official annual day of thanks.

I will be having my fiance, her daughter Jessica (and her boyfriend Tony), my parents and my brother Andrew, over for Thanksgiving Dinner. We will be having turkey, corn bread stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, corn, yams, candied apples, cranberry sauce Kings Hawaiian rolls, and of course pie (pumpkin and sweet potato).

I will be thankful that I have a job. Thankful also and most importantly for my fiance. Not to mention the roof that is over my head and of course each and everyone of you that reads this blog.

So on this day of thanks, what are you thankful for. Would love to hear your thoughts. In the mean time, I would like to wish each and every one of you a very Happy Thanksgiving.



Free Myspace Graphics


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Families go green to save big

Recently, NBC's Today show had a great story on ways to save money by greening up your home. Take a look at the video below and share your thoughts in the comments.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

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go ahead share your thoughts with me now, my ears are open. I'm always eager to hear what you think.
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Neurofibromatosis

I found it interesting that the ninth most searched word (or term) on Google today was neurofibromatosis. Why? Because, it is a condition that I have lived with all my life and never heard anything about, except in the doctors office.

When I mention it, and the two spots on my brain, that are included in this condition, I get blank stares and questions like, "what's neurofibromatosis?"

So when I seen it show up in the top 10, I was amazed.

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New Job for the Fiance

Yesterday, the fiance started her new job. She will be working at a call center the answer calls from Sprint customers. It is something that she has done before, with a previous call center that was located in the same building a few years back (before it closed the local location). Previously, the call center was for Verizon customers. Still though it would be very simaler.
Between the two jobs she answered customer calls for the largest insurance company in the state of Kansas. As mentioned before though, she lost that job 3 days before she and I got engaged. The unemployment office told her there was an 11-week wait before she would see any benefits, so it is great news that she is now back to work within a month of the job loss.




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Family Reunion

This weekend is my family reunion. It will be the first opportunity for most of my family to meet my fiance. So, we will make the one hour trek to the little town in rural Kansas to meet with family members that I haven't seen in a year.

We are planning on taking my corn pudding and rice krispy treats. Two things I love. I only discovered corn pudding 2-3 years ago, but it quickly became one of my favorite side dishes.

Besides seeing family that you don't see in awhile, family reunions are great on a budget, because it is potluck and there is plenty to eat, with all the food being served.


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Buying a Railroad and a 50-1 Stock Split

CNN has reported that my favorite investment guru, Warren Buffett's company, Berkshire Hathaway (BRKA, BRKB), is buying railroad corporation Burlington Northern Sante Fe ("BNSF") for $44 billion.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway said Tuesday it will buy railroad operator Burlington Northern Santa Fe for $44 billion.

Berkshire (BRKA, Fortune 500), which already has major stake in Burlington Northern, said it would acquire the remaining 77.4% of the company in a cash-and-stock offer worth $100 per share.

Widely regarded as both one of the world's richest men and the investment community's more brilliant minds, Buffett called his firm's investment an "all-in wager on the economic future of the United States."
- CNN

The railroad giant is also of special interest to me as has offices and shops here in my own hometown, and a number of people here work for the company. I think this a good move for Buffett, whose company already owned 22% of BNSF). Of course the purchase still most face shareholder approval and regulatory review by the Justice Department.

On another note Buffett also announced that class B shareholders (which includes me) would see a 50 to 1 stock split.

OMAHA, Neb.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (NYSE: BRK.A; BRK.B) today announced that its Board of Directors approved a 50-for-1 split of its Class B Common Stock. The stock split is subject to the approval of Berkshire’s shareholders, who must approve an amendment to Berkshire’s certificate of incorporation to increase Berkshire’s total number of authorized shares of common stock, as well as the total number of authorized shares of Class B Common Stock, in order to permit the consummation of this split. Berkshire’s Class A Common Stock is not being split. Berkshire has not yet set the date for the special meeting of its shareholders to vote on the amendment to its certificate of incorporation, or the record date for the stock split.
- Yahoo Finance

That means, if approved my 0.0321 shares would finally be over 1 share, as that fraction of a share would become 1.605 shares. That, in my opinion would be so awesome. I am looking forward to that. As for shareholder approval, I will certainly be sending my proxy vote back in favor of both of these.

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go ahead share your thoughts with me now, my ears are open. I'm always eager to hear what you think.
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